Where does President Macron get his ties?

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It is easy to wander straight past the Cité Bergère. The streets of Paris’s 9th arrondissement are so thick with commerce and chaos that the 19th-century archway that marks the entrance to the gated shopping street often escapes the attention of passers-by. It pays to be curious, though. Those who make their way through will find themselves in front of Cinabre, a trove of handmade clothes and accessories.

Inside the shop, mirrors and handsome wooden display cases evoke an opulent, heady night in Paris. There’s a seemingly endless assortment of bow ties (from €75) and boutonnières (from €115), extravagant smoking jackets in velvet and silk (from €950, made-to-order) hanging proudly in cabinets and soft silk dressing gowns (from €1,800), all displayed next to traditional ties and vintage Ray-Bans.  

The store is the creation of young French-Swedish entrepreneur Alexandre Chapellier. He left behind a successful career in equity management to pursue his love of style and, following a fortuitous introduction by an uncle, went on to spend a year under the tutelage of the haute couturier and former Balenciaga creative director Michel Goma. Chapellier travelled through France visiting Goma’s favoured artisans and ateliers, allowing Chapellier to learn the importance of fabric and colour. “Even if I were a big fan of fashion [before meeting Goma] I didn’t have the right ‘eye’,” says Chapellier. “He really opened my eyes.”

Silk Jack Russell tie, €145

English wool and velvet dressing gown, €1,450

Goma’s expertise has helped to guide Chapellier since he founded Cinabre in 2011, but it was in 2016 that the brand really took off when it caught the eye of Emmanuel Macron, then a young candidate for the French presidency. The styles since created for M le Président (navy-blue affairs, in keeping with the formality of the presidential office; from €135) are still the most popular items in the boutique. “Every day we have people from the US, from Asia, coming to say, ‘I want Mr Macron’s tie’,” Chapellier says with a smile. “We do try to point out that we do some other stuff!”

Whether presidential blue, a yellow floral print or a traditional club stripe, shoppers can match their ties with notebooks that are made up in the same material and designed to look like a 19th‑century dance card (€16).

As well as the extensive ready-to-wear portfolio, everything — including the jackets and dressing gowns — can be made bespoke (from €185). Commissions are made by wedding parties, family gatherings and more, and often start with fabric provided by the customer. “Clients are asking us to participate in key moments in their lives, and that’s great fun,” says Chapellier. “One client, from an old, aristocratic French family, brought a very old home-decor fabric, something like a toile de Jouy [a traditional printed cotton from the Jouy-en-Josas suburb of Paris], to make a single tie for his son’s wedding,” says Chapellier. 

Consultations on the design process take place in one of two suites above the main boutique. Both are decorated in Pierre Frey fabrics — one of which lines the Napoleonic bivouac shading the entrance — with bespoke Hästens beds (Chapellier’s mother hails from the same small Swedish town as the bedmaker) and comprehensively stocked cocktail bars. Both are available to hire for overnight stays (from €1,050 per night), serviced by the boutique’s concierge team.

Back downstairs, the sense of joy in dressing up for an event is palpable. Those who love making a sartorial effort for no other reason than delight will find a kindred spirit in Chapellier. And they’ll make you a damn fine drink to go with your outfit.

Cinabre, 14 Cité Bergère, 75009 Paris, cinabre-paris.com